The present invention relates generally to illuminated concert lights and more specifically to uniquely illuminating the CD jewel box by a multifunction light positioned within a cavity in the CD jewel box.
For years, music concerts have featured special visual effects created by light from flames of cigarette lighters. Since the naked flames pose a fire hazard, more benign light effects produced using light emitting diodes (LEDs) have become popular. The music industry promotes individual or group performers through the concert events. The payoff is a potentially increased demand in the marketplace for the music of these performers. The music, which is typically recorded on compact discs (CDs), is sold at retail prices to the consumer. For purposes of promotion, CDs are on occasion made available for a price to concert attendees.
Compact discs, developed in the early 1980s, are now well established in the music, motion picture, and computer game industries. The CDs are digitally encoded with sound and music recordings. More recently, CDs known as Digital Video Discs (DVDs), in which movies and video games with accompanying sound are similarly recorded, have become very popular. The CD's success stems from the high fidelity of its recording, and its compactness, convenience, and competitive cost vis a vis other storage media. CDs are mostly packaged and marketed in transparent plastic boxes, which are referred to in the art as “CD cases,” “CD boxes,” or “CD jewel boxes.” The CD jewel boxes are manufactured to strict design and dimensional industry standards.
To connect the concert events with the music and video CDs on sale, it is desirable that LED lights similar to those at the music events be also featured in the CDs. When activated, the emitted light and its pre-selected colors serve the aesthetically pleasing function of reminding one of the source of the music, while also differentiating the CD from the music of other artistes or recording companies. A conveniently activated light source, when available within the CD, also serves a safety and convenience function. For instance, when driving during the dark evening or night hours, automobile drivers or their passengers can readily discriminate among the various CDs by the light patterns emitted, instead of having to turn on the car's interior dome or glove box lights for reading the printed content on the CD's exterior.
To draw the consumer's attention to the product, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,455, issued Apr. 13, 1999 to D. H. Biedebach and K. M. Kajka, describes placing a three dimensional object in the void space of the “spine” of the CD. This differentiation, however, requires that the object be viewed in a well-lit area. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,143, issued Oct. 26, 1999 to K. Yoshioka, describes locating ornamental and fragrance functions in the same “spine” space, referred to in the patent as the “hinge portion” of the “main portion” of the CD. While these functions are pleasing to the senses, they are limited in their ability to distinguish the product. As with the Biedebach patent, the ornamental feature limits the ability to identify the CD to properly lit areas, while the fragrance provides little to no distinguishing ability since the fragrance migrates and its effect cannot be localized to the particular CD. The “spine” space is identified in the present specification as a “cavity” and in the U.S. provisional application, from which it derives the filing date benefit, as the “space at the top of the box, where the lid is hinged to the base of the box.”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,802, issued May 28, 1996 to D. C. Edington, uses light from light emitting diodes (LEDs) to both differentiate the product as well as provide the means by which the CD contents can be read in dimly lit conditions. The Edington patent, however, requires that the CD box be physically modified, increasing its cost substantially and rendering it commercially less desirable and perhaps even non-viable. The CD jewel box casing has to be drilled to provide access for a manual pressure switch so that the LED can be activated. The enabling battery and circuitry in the Edington patent is located inside the “main portion” of the CD's storage compartment, requiring further modification and likely additional increase in cost.
A CD jewel box in which the light emitting means are effected for product identification and differentiation without any modification of the CD jewel box structure is highly desirable, and provided in the instant invention.